Newspaper-vending apparatus



( N: Mod-QL); B. M O S SLE R.

NEWSPAPER rPENDING APPARATUS.

Patented Jan. 13,V 1891.

Eli

PI-444,502.l

UNITED STATES PATENi` BENNO I\IOSSLER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

NEWSPAPER-VEN DING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 444,502, dated January 18, 1891.

Application iiled March 24, 1390. kSerial No. 345,034. (No model.) l

To all wiz/0711, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BENNO MOSSLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Newspaper -Vending Apparatus, of which the following` is a specification.

rlhis invention relates to an apparatus for the sale of newspapers and like articles, which does not require the aid of an attendant, and relates more particularly to a coin-operated device in which the newspapers are held in a suitable receptacle,'and are removed therefrom by devices which are normally held ia an inoperative position, but are adapted to be thrown into operative position by a coin which is deposited in a suitable opening or openings.

It is of the greatest importance that an apparatus of this character should be of simple construction, having the least number of parts, which are not liable to get out of order, for the reason that they are generally located in public places to be used by the public and are subjected to very rough handling and treatment, either in their ordinary use by careless people or by persons vwith mischievous intentions.

Heretofore newspaper-selling apparatuses of this class commonly comprise a comparatively large number of parts, some of which are of expensive construction, thereby mal;- ing an expensive apparatus and one which, owing to the large number of parts, is liable to get out of order. The object of this invention is to obviate these difficulties and provide a device of this character comprising a minimum numberof parts of simple construction, which can be easily manufactured and put together, thereby lessening the cost and making a stronger and more durable apparatus.

The invention consists in the features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafterfully described, and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanyiug-drawings, Figure l is a view in front elevation of a device constructed in accordance with my invention,

the parts being inclosed within a suitable case the frontI piece of which is removed to show the parts. Figs. 2 and 3 are vertical sectional views takeu, respectively, on the lines 2 2 and 3 3 of Fig. l. Figlis a fragmentary View in side elevation, showing a cam groove or slot for guiding'the movement of the operating rod or handle, said rod or handle being shown in dot-ted lines. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in plan, showing the parts shown in Fig. l with the operating-handle in full lines.

Referring to said drawings, Aindicates the case or housing within which the parts areinclosed, said case comprising front and rear pieces a a', side pieces a2 a3, and top and bottom pieces a4 ai". rlhe case A is divided into three compartments A', A2, and A3 by means of two upright partitions A4 and A5. The partition A4 extends from the front to the rear of the case near the side piece a2, thereby forming between said partition and the side piece a2 the side compartment A3. Between the partition A4 and the other side piece a3 and near the front piece a a transverse partition A5 is located, thereby forming the front compartment A2 and the rear compartment or paperholding receptacle A. The top piece a* is made removable and preferably provided with hinges and a lock to permit access to the paper-holding receptacle to be had only by authorized persons.

The paper -holding receptacle A is provided in its bottom and adjacent its front side with a transverse slit or opening ai", through which the papers are discharged from the receptacle, and a spring-pressed follower A7 is located in the said receptacle to keep the papers always in the front portion thereof, so that the foremost paper will be just over the said discharge-opening a6. To enable the device to be capable of use with papers of different sizes, the said dischargeopening is made wider than will usually be employed, and an adjustable plate a7 is located upon the bottom piece a5 of the case, with its front edge in position to overlap the discharge-opening. rIhe said plate a7 is provided with screw-threaded studs which project through slots a8 in the bottom' piece, and

IOO

are provided with set-screws o9, by means of which said plate can be secured in its adjusted position.

The devices Vfor discharging the newspapers, periodicals, or other articles in the receptacle comprise a friction-roller or a series of friction-rollers, which project into the paper-holding receptacle from its front side, so as to engage the foremost paper, and devices for turning said friction-rollers ina direction to discharge the said paper. In the construction herein shown the transverse partition A5 terminates a short distance above the bottom piece of the case, Figs. l and 2, and a transverse shaft B, carrying friction-rollers D B', is located within the front compartment A2, adjacent the lower edge of said partition A5. The said shaft is supported insuitable bear ings upon the side pieces a2 a3 andthe partition A". In the particular construction illustrated the shaft B is provided with a cylindrie portion b, upon whichv are mounted the friction-rollers B', said rollers being conveniently formed of rubber or similar material and having the form of ribs or ridges upon the cylindric portion b. The diameter of said eylindric portion b is desir-ably such that it does not extend into the receptacle A', while the rollers B thereon extend into said receptacle a distance equal to their thickness. As a means for increasing the efficiency of the rollers in discharging the papers from the receptacle, said rollers are each provided with small peripheral points or pins Z1 b', which project very slightly beyond the surface of the roller, so that while assisting` the roller in discharging the paper they do not tear or mutilate the latter. For convenience of construction the said rollers are located somewhat above the bottom of the ease, and the space between the rollers and the bottom is occupied by an upright plate b2, secured to said bottom and having upright portions bwhieh rise into the-space between the rollers, and bent or cut-away portions lr', which are located in alignment with said rollers. The inner face of said dividing-plate desirably forms the outer side of the discharge-opening a, therebyserving to guide the papers as they are discharged by the rollers.

It is obvious that it is not necessary to entirely discharge the papers from the case, as they can be drawn therefrom by the purchaser if a portion is exposed to allow him to take hold and pull upon the same. For this reason the rollers are made quite small, and in Fig. 2 of the drawings one of the papers is shown as part of a discharge by the revolution of said rollers. As before described, the shaft B, carrying the rollers, extends through the compartment A, and is supported in suitable bearings in the partition A* in the side piece a2 of the case. Within the said compartment A3 is located a mechanism for turning said discharging-rollers. Said mechanism comprises, essentially, a pinion B2, mounted upon the shaft convenientlylocated adjacent to said side piece a2, and a sliding raclebar or operating-rod C, supported in suitable y bearings and engaging said pinion. Other devices hereinafter described are employed forcontrolling the movement of the said shaft and operating-rod. The said rod C is supported at its rear end portion in guide-brackets c c', in which it is capable of vertical movement as well as endwise. The intermediate portion of the bar is provided with the teeth c2, while the extreme outer end portion C extends outside of the case, and is preferably reduced aud of cylindric forni, so that it can slide freely through a bearing-aperture in an outward extension A* of the compartment A, said extended portion being provided to protect and conceal the toothed p0rtions of said operating-rod. The rod C is provided at its outer end with a head c3, affording a suitable handle for pressing the rod inwardly. The said rod operates to turn the rollers in a direction to discharge the paper by an inward movement of the operating-rod, as herein shown, although it is obvious that if the said rod engaged the pinion from below au outward movement of the rod would be necessary to accomplish the desired movement of the rollers. It is intended that the operating-rod, after acting upon the pinion by an inward pressure, shall be returned to its outer and operating position automatically, and for this purpose I have herein shown a coiled spring C2 for accomplishing this movement. rlhe said spring C2 acts by expansion and is located between the brackets c c and bears at the opposite end against said bracket c and a shoulder c4,located upon the operating-rod. It is obvious that if the operating-rod was returned to its normal position, with its teeth in engagement with the pinion, such movement would turn the rollers Il in an opposite direction, which would either disarrange the papers within the receptacle or mutilate them; or, on the other hand, the engagement of the rollers with the paper might be such as to prevent the said return movement of the operating-rod. To this end I have provided means for disengaging the operatingrod from the pinion during its return movement, which comprise a lateral pin e5 upon the rod C, which enters and travels in a cam slot or groove D upon the adjacent side di of the compartment. The said cam slot or groove D comprises three channels or membersnamely, a horizontal channel d, an upwardlyinclined channel d', and a downwardly-inclined channel (Z2. The said channels or members of the cam-groove D communicate with each other, so that the pin c upon the operating-rod can pass from one member to the other without interference. The horizontal channel (l is located so that when the pin c5 travels therein the operating-rod will be held in engagement with the pinion for turning IIO the same. The upwardly-inclined channel d rises from the inner end of the horizontal channel d, and the pin c5 is adapted to travel inwardly in the horizontal member of the camgroove, so that after traveling inwardly7 through the horizontal member when the spring c2 returns the rod C the pin c5, traveling in the upwardly-inclined member, will disengage the teeth of the operating-rod C from the pinion and allow the latter to remain at rest during the return movement of the operating-rod. The downwardly-inclined member or channel d2 of the cam-groove connects the outer ends of the other two members, so that after the pin c5 has traveled to the forward end of the upwardly-inclined member it can pass therefrom through the channel d2 to the outer end of the horizontal channel, and thus bring the teeth of the operating-rod again into engagement with the pinion.

Means are provid ed for automatically guiding the pin c5 into the upwardly-inclined channel after passing through the horizontal channel, said means comprising a spring-actuated catch or detent C3, located near the inner end of the horizontal member or channel. The said detent (J3 is located in the said horizontal channel and opens inwardly and upwardly, so that the pin passing through the channel from front to rear will easily pass by the spring-actuated detent. The upper edge of the said detent forms a continuation of the lower wall of the upwardly-inclined slot, so that after the pin c5 has passed inwardly of the said detent and it is returned by the action of the spring it will ride along the upper edge of the detent, and thus be directed into the upwardly-inclined member or channel of the cam slot or groove. From the foregoing-description it is evident it is only necessary to press the operating-rod inwardly and then remove the hand from the same. Thereupon it will return to its operating position ready for another operation automatically bythe action of the spring and the camgroove. To provide means for preventing the turning of the rollers backward, the said shaft B is provided near its end adjacent the side piece a3 with a ratchet-Wheel h6, which is engaged by a spring-actuated ratchet b?, fastened upon said side piece.

As before stated, the apparatusis held from operation by devices which release and allow the operation of the apparatus from the action of a coin upon said devices. The devices for accomplishing this end comprise a cam-disk B3, mounted upon the shaft about midway between the sides of the compartment A3 and provided with radial notch b5, which is engaged by a pivoted pawl or coin-lever E, the said lever E being supported by a pivot c', secured between two posts of apparatus e2 e2. The lever E is provided lat one end with an offsetor bent portion e3, adapted for engagement with the notch b5 of the cam-disk, while ythe part of the lever on the other side of the pivot extends into a vertical arm f of a coinchute F, extending to the front part of the compartment through the front of the case, where it is provided with a coin-slot f. It is manifest that while the bent end of the coinlever E is in engagement with the notch of the cam-disk said disk will be prevented from turning, thereby holding the shaft and parts connected therewith in a stationary position. When a coin is placed in the coin-chute and rolls down the same, it strikes the inner end of the coin-lever, and thereby swings the same on its pivot. The bent end of the coin-lever will be drawn from engagement with the notch in the cam-disk and will allow the same to be turned. The coin-lever E is suitably weighted and balanced so that the necessary weight of the coin or coins to swing the same on its pivot can be predetermined. To limit the swing of the coin-lever E about its pivot under the inliuence of the weight of the coin or coins, so that the inner end of the coin-lever will not swing far enough to permit the coins to fall, as such operation would permit the lever to swing backwardly on its pivot and engage the cam-disk, I have provided a weight G, secured to a pivoted arm g, which is pivoted to one of the posts or uprights e2. The said weighted arm g is located over the end of the coin-lever that engages the cam-disk, and is provided with a leg g', that rests on the bottom of the compartment and limits the downward movement of the arm g. The arm g is so located above the coin-lever that when the said coin-lever is turned about its pivot by the coin or coins resting upon the inner end the other end of the coin-lever will come in contact with the weighted arm g in time to prevent the inner end of the coin-leverk from moving sufficiently to allow the dropping of the coins. The shaft can now beturned, and as it turns by an inward movement of the operating-rod the face of the cam-disk will engage the end of the bent portion of the coinlever and lift the same, thereby raising the weighted arm g and depressing the inner end of the coin-lever and drawing it out of the coin-chute. The face of said cam-disk will continue to lift the bent end of the coin-lever until the other end thereof is moved sufficiently to permit the coins to fall. The bent end e3 of the coin-lever will be held in engagement with the face of the disk until said disk has completed a revolution, whereupon it will fall into the notch b5, thereby preventing further movement of the shaft and parts connected therewith.

As this apparatus is primarily intended for the sale of newspapers which usually cost one cent or multiples thereof, the weight necessary to tilt the coin-lever and release the cam-disk can be computed upon this basis. For instance, if the paper to be sold costs one cent, the weight of one cent should be sufficient to tilt the lever 5 but if it is a two-cent paper the IOO weight of one cent will be insufticient to move the level', but will require the weight of another cent resting on that, it being obvious that proper indications and directions can be displayed to guide the purchaser in operating the machine. Itis further manifest that other indications can be displayed to denote whether the device is in operative condition or whether all the papers have been sold.

The operation of the device will obviously be seen from the foregoing description, and will not be set forth at this place. It is further obvious that various modifications can be made in the construction of the apparatus without departing from the spirit of my invention. For instance, the construction of the weighted arm for limiting the movement of the coin-lever can be varied, the form shown being the simple and convenient way of accomplishing this object. The coin-chute F extends below the case A and communicates with a suitable box or till F for holding the coins which are placed in the apparatus. It is also obvious that said cani slot or groove could be arranged upon the lever and the guiding-pin upon the case and the same move` ment on the part of the operating-rod be secured.

It will be understood that a plurality of these devices can be arranged together in series, so that different papers may be obtained.

I claim as my inventionl. A coin-operated vending apparatus comprising a receptacle for holding articles to be vended, rollers extending into said receptacle for discharging the articles and mounted upon a rotative shaft', an operating rod or bar geared to said shaft for turning the same, and a coin-lever engaging said shaft, said cam-lever being adapted to be withdrawn from engagement therewith by the action of a cam upon said lever, substantially as described.

2. A coin-operated vending apparatus comprising a receptacle for holding articles to be vended, rollers extending into said receptacle for discharging the articles and mounted upon a rotative shaft, a reciprocating rod or bar geared to said shaft for turning the same when moved in one direction and adapted to be disengaged therefrom when moved in an opposite direction, and a coin-lever engaging said shaft and adapted to be disengaged therefrom by the action of a coin, substantially as set forth.

Acoin-operated vending apparatus comprisinga receptacle for holding articles to be vended, rollers extending into said receptacle and mounted upon a rotative shaft, a reciprocating operating rod or bar geared to said shaft for turning the same, a cam slot or groove for guiding said rod or bar, whereby the latter is alternately engaged with and disengaged from said shaft, and a coin-lever engaging said shaft and adapted to be disengaged therefrom bythe action of a coin, substantially as set forth.

4. Acoin-operated vending apparatus comprising a receptacle for holding articles to be vended, rollers extending into the same for discharging said articles and mounted upon a rotative shaft, a reciprocating rod or bar geared to said shaft for turning the same, said rod or bar being supported in bearings permitting it to be moved away from said shaft to disengage it therefrom, and a cam-lever engaging said shaft and adapted to be disengaged therefrom by the action of a coin, substantially as set forth.

5. A coin-operated vending apparatus comprising a case or housing, a receptacle for holding articles to be vended, rollers extending into said receptacle for discharging said articles and mounted upon a rotative shaft, a reciprocating operating rod or bar geared to said shaft and located adjacent to the side of said case or housing, apin or projection on one of said parts, a cam-slot on the other of said parts engaged by said pin or projection, said cam-slot having one member (l for keeping the rod engaged with the shaft and another member d for disengaging it therefrom, and a coin-lever engaging said shaft and adapted to be disengaged therefrom by the action of a coin, substantially as dcscribed.

G. Acoin-operated vending mechanism comprising a case or housing, a receptacle for holding articles to be vended, rollers extending into said receptacle for discharging said articles and mounted upon a rotative shaft, a reciprocating operating rod or bar geared to said shaft and located adjacent to the side of said case or housing, a pin or projection on one of said parts, a cam-slot on the other of said parts engaged by the said pin or projection, said cam-slot having one member d for keeping the rod engaged with the shaft and another member d for disengag'ing it therefrom, a spring-actuated catch or detent between said members opening toward said member d', and a coin-leverengaging said shaft and adapted to disengage it by the action of a coin,substantially as set forth.

7. A coin-operated vending apparatus comprising a receptacle for holding articles to be vended, an opening in said receptacle for the passage of said articles, rollers extending into said receptacle in the rear of said opening for discharging said articles and mounted upon a rotative shaft, means for turning said shaft, a notched cam-disk upon said shaft, a coin-chute, and a pivoted coin-lever engaging said notched disk at one end and having its other end extendinginto said coin-chute, substantially as set forth.

8. A coin-operated vending apparatus comprising a receptacle for holding articles to be vended, rollers extending into said receptacle for discharging said articles and mounted TOO IIU

Cil'

upon 2L rotative shaft, means for burning said ing said lever to limit its movement under Shaft, a notched cam-disk upon said shaft, a the inuenoe of the coin, snbstantallyas set lo coin-chute, a pivoted Cam-lever engaging said forth.

no tohefl disk at one end and extending into BENNO MOSSLER.

Saud oo1n-chute,sa.1d oom-lever belng arranged so that the Weight of a coin upon its end in XVtUeSSeS:

the chute will disengage its other end from HARRY COBB KENNEDY,

said disk, and a pivoted Weighted arm engag- ANNIE L. COATES. 

